Drywall construction over a bath tub



May 26, 1964 MCCOLLEY 3,134,197

DRYWALL CONSTRUCTION OVER A BATH TUB Filed June 8, 1961 wl' umaa R.M: Culley 1 7%;

mnlllmllu United States Patent 3,134,197 DRYWALL CONSTRUCTION OVER A BATH TUB Maurice R. McColley, R0. Box 338, El Cajon, Calif. Filed June 8, 1961, Ser. No. 115,774 2 Claims. (Cl. 50-74) This invention relates to wallboard or drywall interior structures, and refers more particularly to a wallboard or drywall structure that is particularly adapted for the wall area directly above a bath tub or similar plumbing fixture.

In so-called drywall construction, wall surfaces are formed of a type of wallboard panel that comprises a layer of gypsum or the like sandwiched between two layers of relatively stiff and tough paperboard, and such wallboard panels are nailed directly to the studs or other supporting structure of the wall, eliminating the more expensive application of lath and plaster. While highly satisfactory for most interior wall surfaces, drywall construction has not heretofore been considered desirable for wall areas in the neighborhood of a bath tub or similar plumbing fixture where the drywall panels are likely to be subjected to repeated exposure to water. This is because both the paperboard outer layers of a drywall panel and its gypsum body layer are extremely porous and tend to soak up any water which comes into contact with the panel.

It is of course entirely practicable to cover the front surface of drywall paneling with a facing of tile, ceramic tile, plastic covered hardboard or similar waterproof material, but even when so protected to drywall panel which extends downwardly to the upper edge of a bath tub is likely to have its lower edge subjected to repeated wettings due to splashed water seeping under the lower edge of the waterproof facing, especially if there is a defect in the grout which seals the lower edge of the facing to the rim of the tub. Obviously the repeated wetting of the lower marginal edge portion of the drywall panel will sooner or later lead to its deterioration, but even if it survives, a generally unsatisfactory condition of dampness will persist in the wall surface.

With the foregoing in mind it is a general object of this invention to provide a drywall construction which is particularly suitable for the wall area directly above a bath tub, wash basin or similar plumbing fixture installation, and which construction includes means for preventing any water splashed out of the plumbing fixture from coming into contact with the lower edge of the drywall paneling adjacent to the fixture.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a drywall construction for wall areas above a bath tub or the like, wherein the drywall paneling has 'a waterproof facing that extends down to the rim of the tub, and which construction includes spacer means for facilitating installation of the drywall paneling with its lower edge spaced above the rim of the tub so that the drywall will be out of contact with any water that may be splashed out of the tub and such water can evaporate or drain back into the tub without being absorbed by the drywall paneling, said spacer means also providing support and reinforcement for the portion of the facing which extends downwardly below the lower edge of the drywall paneling.

It is another specific object of this invention to provide a spacing member for use with drywall paneling installed directly over a bath tub or similar plumbing fixture, which spacing member provides support and reinforcement for a waterproof facing overlying the front surface of the drywall, while at the same time protecting the lower edge of the drywall from contact with any water that may be splashed out of the tub and seep under the lower edge of the facing.

Still another object of this invention resides in the pro- 3,134,197 Patented May 26, 1964 vision of the spacer member of the character described which is very inexpensive and readily installed, and which makes it possible and completely practicable to install drywall in the area above a bath tub or similar plumbing fixture where it has heretofore been considered undesirable to use drywall construction because of the danger that the drywall paneling would be exposed to water splashed out of the plumbing fixture.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a wall section directly above a bath tub, incorporating drywall paneling and embodying the construction of this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spacer member of this invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 5 designates generally the rim of a bath tub or other similar plumbing fixture which is mounted directly adjacent to studs or other upright framing members, one of which is designated by 6, that provide the supporting structure for a wall behind and above the bath tub. Secured to the framing members is drywall paneling 7, which in this case is shown as a conventional type of drywall comprising a gypsum body layer 8 sandwiched between a pair of face layers 9 of paperboard or the like. It will be understood that the term drywall is applied herein to designate not only this conventional type of drywall paneling, but also to include other types of wallboard, as well as plywood and similar panel materials suitable for providing wall surfaces that do not comprise lath and plaster construction, and which panels tend to be adversely affected by water.

The front or outer face of the drywall paneling 7 is covered with a waterproof facing 10, which may comprise any of a number of suitable materials such as tile, ceramic tile, or hardboard or the like having a waterproof plastic or similar outer coating on its face. The facing 10 is bonded or otherwise suitably secured to the underlying drywall paneling as by means of a mastic 11.

Attention is directed to the fact that the lower edge 12 of the drywall panel 7 is spaced a substantial distance above the rim 5 of the bath tub, and that a portion 13 of the facing 10 projects downwardly beneath the lower edge of the drywall paneling to have its lower edge contiguous to the upper surface of the bath tub rim 5. Preferably the conventional grout 14 is provided to afford a seal between the lower edge of the facing 10 and the bath tub rim 5. v I

, Regardless of the care with which the grout 14 may be installed, it is almost inevitable that water splashed out of the tub will seep into the area behind the facing 10, and if the wallboard 8 extended down into contact with the bath tub rim 5 such water would be absorbed into the drywall paneling. However, because the wallboard 8'is spaced a substantial distance above the tub rim 5, water which accumulates behind the waterproof facing 10 is unable to reach the lower edge of the drywall paneling, andtherefore such water either evaporates harmlessly or works its way back into the tub beneath the lower edge of the waterproof facing.

To hold the drywall paneling spaced above the tub rim during its installation while the paneling is being nailed to the studs, and to provide a reinforcement and support for the portion 13 of the facing which projects below the lower edge of the drywall panels, there is provided a spacer 15 of this invention, Which is formed from a single strip of metal or other substantially rigid material, and preferably of zinc or galvanized sheet steel.

The spacer 15 is an elongated member which extends all along the rim of the tub, in contact therewith, and which is adapted to be secured, as by means of nails 16 or the like, to the studs or other supporting structure behind the bath tub. The spacer has an upright nailing flange element 17 through which the nails 16 extend and which is adapted to underlie the lower marginal edge portion of the paneling 7. A substantially horizontal ledge element 18, the width of which is substantially equal to thethickness of the drywall paneling, projects forwardly from the lower edge of the nailing flange element 17 and underlies the lower edge of the drywall paneling 8. Projecting downwardly from the front edge of the ledge element 18 is a riser or lower flange element 19 which occu pies the space between the lower edge of the drywall paneling and the rim of the tube and which has its front face disposed coplanar with the front face of the drywall paneling to support and reinforce the lower portion 13 of the facing 10.

conventionally a bath tub is formed with an upward step 21 in its rim portion which is intended to be built into the adjacent wall structure and to prevent water that seeps through the grout from passing into the space he hind the wall. The spacer 15 is preferably provided with a lip element 20 which projects obliquely upwardly and rearwardly from the lower edge of the riser 19 and which snugly engages against the upright surface of the step or ledge 21 on the tub to cooperate therewith in resisting inward displacement of the riser element 19. The lip 20 thus cooperates with the riser in reinforcing the lower projecting portion 13 of the facing against bending and breaking. When the spacer is nailed to the studs it is installed in such a way that the exterior radius of the small bend which connects the lip element 20 with the riser 19 is engaged rather snugly against the upper surface of the bath tub rim, below the step 21, to provide a seal as at 23 which further assures against the entry of water into the space behind the riser 19. Preferably the lip section 20 has short upwardly extending projections 24 which facilitate bending short portions of it along its length, so that all parts of the lip element will seat firmly against the upright surface of the step 21.

In the event water should pass the grout 14 and the seal.2 3 between the spacer and the tub rim, even in substantial quantities, such water will not be able to come into contact with the lower edge 12 of the drywall paneling 8 because the ledge element 18 of the spacer member 'is interposed between any such accumulation of water and the drywall paneling. Although generally disposed at right angles to the upright flange elements 17 and 19, the ledge element 18 of the spacer member is preferably inclined slightly downwardly and forwardly to further promote and facilitate drainage of water away from the bottom edge of the adjacent wall board paneling.

It will be seen that the riser 19 is held against rearward displacement at its upper edge by the ledge element 18, as well as being supported at its lower edge by the engagement of the lip 20 against the upright portion of the step 21 in the tub rim 5, and since the riser element is parallel to the nailing flange element, its front face will .be perfectly coplanar with the front face of the drywall paneling provided the width of the ledge element 18 is properly proportioned to the thickness of the wallboard. The mastic v11 which secures the facing 10 to the drywall paneling also bonds the facing to the riser.

During installation of a wall embodying the principles of this invention the spacing member is first installed with its lower edge in snug engagement with the tub rim 5 and its lip element 20 in firm engagement with the step in the tub rim; and thereafter the drywall paneling is applied with its lower edge firmly seated upon the ledge element of the spacer and supported thereby while the paneling is nailed in place. Mastic can then be applied over the front face of the drywall paneling and of the riser 19, and the tile or other Waterproof facing 10 can then be installed.

From the foregoing description taken together with the accompanying drawing it will be apparent that this invention makes possible and practicable the use of drywall construction in wall areas above and directly adjacent to bath tubs and similar plumbing fixtures without danger that the drywall paneling will be exposed to moisture splashed out of the plumbing fixture; and it will be further apparent that the drywall construction of this invention, which features a simple and inexpensive spacer member, can be very readily and inexpensively installed.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. In combination with a lavatory fixture such as a bath tub mounted adjacent to an upright interior building wall structure:

(A) a panel of rigid sheet-like wall material installed on said Wall structure with its bottom edge spaced above the rim of the fixture;

(B) an elongated spacer member of waterproof substantially rigid material having (1) a rear upright flange portion secured to said structure by which the panel is supported and which flatwise underlies the rear face of the panel along the bottom marginal edge portion thereof, the bottom of said flange being substantially at the level of the bottom edge of the panel,

(2) a ledge portion integral with said upright flange portion and projecting forwardly from the bottom thereof, said ledge portion closely underlying the bottom edge of the panel to support the latter,

(3) a front upright portion integral with the ledge portion and projecting downwardly from the front thereof to the rim of the fixture, the front face of said front upright portion being coplanar with the front face of said panel, and

(4) an integral lip portion projecting obliquely rearwardly and upwardly from the bottom of the front upright portion;

(C) a substantially waterproof facing overlying the front surface of the panel and the front face of the front upright portion of the spacer member to be supported by the latter; and

(D) adhesive means securing said facing to the panel and to the front face of the upright portion of the spacer member.

2. The structure of claim 1, further characterized by the fact that the ledge portion of said spacer member is inclined at a small downward and forward angle to the flange and front upright portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,919,354 Anderson July 25, 1933 2,145,215 Sakier Jan. 24, 1939 2,350,790 McCarthy June 6, 1944 2,357,688 Robinson Sept. 5, 1944 2,369,000 Page Feb. 6, 1945 2,526,883 La Barre Oct. 24, 1950 2,533,591 La Barre Dec. 12, 1950 2,677,268 Hobbs May 4, 1954 2,926,361 Hornik Mar. 1, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 344,205 Switzerland Mar. 15, 1960 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A LAVATORY FIXTURE SUCH AS A BATH TUB MOUNTED ADJACENT TO AN UPRIGHT INTERIOR BUILDING WALL STRUCTURE: (A) A PANEL OF RIGID SHEET-LIKE WALL MATERIAL INSTALLED ON SAID WALL STRUCTURE WITH ITS BOTTOM EDGE SPACED ABOVE THE RIM OF THE FIXTURE; (B) AN ELONGATED SPACER MEMBER OF WATERPROOF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID MATERIAL HAVING (1) A REAR UPRIGHT FLANGE PORTION SECURED TO SAID STRUCTURE BY WHICH THE PANEL IS SUPPORTED AND WHICH FLATWISE UNDERLIES THE REAR FACE OF THE PANEL ALONG THE BOTTOM MARGINAL EDGE PORTION THEREOF, THE BOTTOM OF SAID FLANGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE LEVEL OF THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE PANEL, (2) A LEDGE PORTION INTEGRAL WITH SAID UPRIGHT FLANGE PORTION AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOF, SAID LEDGE PORTION CLOSELY UNDERLYING THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE PANEL TO SUPPORT THE LATTER, 